Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

Ryan is almost 9 months and changing him is challenging enough - nevermind trying to take his temp rectally. He does flips and it's not easy. At this point do you switch to something else? What's the next best (as far as accuracy)?

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

I never did it rectally. I put it in his armpit. I have a good digital ear one but that thing is never right

Message edited 12/12/2008 10:02:35 AM.

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

DD is 2 and I still use a rectal. She doesn't mind it and its the most accurate.

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

Posted by DanaRenee

I never did it rectally. I put it in his armpit. I have a good digital ear one but that thing is never right

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

DD is 14 months and we only use a rectal thermometer. When we call the ped's office if she has a temp, they always ask how we took it. If you say anything other than rectally they make you take it again rectally and call back.

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

I had bought 2 ear thermometers and compared it to the rectal temp and I've been using the ear one that was closests to the rectal ever since. I did do rectal temps for her first year of life.

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

I used it until recently ( he is 18 months)...I just got a temporal artery one from BRU. Its great so far.

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

i havent had to with DS, i can tell when he has a fever and if i feel that i need to take his temp i use the armpit. when we give him tylenol for a fever it works. If we were in a situation where he had a very high fever and we needed and exact, i would do rectal- thankfully, we havent had to do that yet

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

Yes, DS is almost 18 months.

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

I still do it rectally at 12 months old. I find that the ear one is almost never accurate. Rectally now I have found the easiest way is to stand him on his changing table and hug him with one arm as I take his temp with the other hand, for some reason he just stands there and hugs me back – I risk getting peed on but I can handle that. I discovered this one day when the nurse at my ped was going to take his temp and I was holding him, I asked if she wanted me to put him down and she said no….

To get a really good ear one like in the drs office, its like 2K (my SIL’s ped told her that the store bought ones are really not that reliable)

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

Posted by SweetCaroline

Posted by DanaRenee

I never did it rectally. I put it in his armpit. I have a good digital ear one but that thing is never right

DH doesn't believe me that the ear one isn't that accurate since that's what the MD's office uses.

Message edited 12/12/2008 1:52:13 PM.

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

I stopped doing rectal when they hit 6 months. I use temperal artery one. Just as accurate as rectal i've found (i've compared the two)

Re: Do you still use a rectal thermometer (as they get older)?

I still use a rectal thermometer and DS is 15 months - I've been told this is by far the most accurate way to take his temperature at this age. Although, it can be EXTREMELY difficult ot do so!

Although my peds office uses an ear thermometer they straight out said they didn't feel it was as accurate and sometimes not accurate at all. Any Dr.'s in the family have also said rectal is the only way to go at this age.